The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-09-24
POPULAR TRIBUNALS.
The Rule Of the Vigilantes In San
Francisco.

NO0Sk uSStUtsSOh OOASSS Va AAOVuAs AAOWC
Bancroft, just from the press, treats of
"Populsr Tribuuals"-th vigilance com
mittces to the. early days. Besides its
historical value, the work has the interest
which belongs to story of spirited and
strange events and Of q picturesque era.
San Francisco furnishes the chief subject
for the volume. and the record in that
city 10 brought down to 1851. While the
text sticks closely to the story, it gives a
most graphic picture of the social state
of the city in the palmy days Of the
golden era Never before was there such
= congregation Of people, and never can
there be again. There were men from
all parts of the world, stimulated to the
highest pitch of passion and action, unre-
strained by the ordinary domestic and
social influences. One government had
gone out and the other had not fairly
come in. There was, it is true, a sort Of
government. but the officers of the Law
were also the leaders Of the Iawless.
In lS49 San Francisco was practically
without government or law. Even the
so-cxlItd sheriff was an officer 10 an organ
lied society of toughs called ''the Hounds"
and Regulators" who lived by pluuder.
San Francisco was teriorized by this So
cicty, which maintained itself ~ a mill
tary camp in the heart Of the city, forag-
ing everywhere for whatever its members
wanted to eat. to drink or to wear. With
singular patience smaller outrages were
borne, but when the Hounds proceeded
to murder, by general massacre Of the
Chilean residents Of the city, who had
given them offence, decency and human
Try awOke. The better class of people,
led by men of character and property,
rose in force and the hounds were driven
from the city.
After the expulsion Of "the hounds"
there was quiet for time, but only for y
time. The city was infested by horde
of thieves, toughs and murderers, and
outrages Of the most violent sort were
frequent. In midsummer, 1851, patience
ceased to be q virtue and there was or
ganized committee of vigilance which
took charge of the police government and
drove many scoundrels away, hanged
others, and after nine months restored
order. Here was an instance in which
Lynch law" was public self defense.
The thing had to be done and it was done
decently. 1t saved San Francisco from
the worst disorder.
In bis introduction Mr.. Bancroft takes
pains to define the term vigilance com.
mttee in order that it may not he con.
founded with mobIaw or lynch law.
His definition is so queer that it is worth
quoting. He says: THE vigilance com
mittee is not mob; it is to a mob as
revolution is to rebellion. the name being
somewhat according to its strength.
Neither is tumultuous rabble q vigil
lance committee. Indeed, prominent
among the other functions is that of hold.
ing brute force and vulgar sentiment in
wholesome fear. The vigilance commit
tee will itself break the law, but it does
not allow others to do So II has the
highest respect for law, and would be
friendly with the law, notwithstanding
the law is sometimes disposed to he i'll |
natured; yet At has higher respect for
itself than for i'll administered law. Often
1t has assisted officers of the law in catch. |
ing offenders, and has even gone so fur as
TO hand Insignificant and filthy criminals
over to courts Of justice for trial rather
than soil its fingers with Them"
After dwelling on the anomalies of
modern law, which in too MANY cases
gives the moneyed criminal the advnnt
age in his fight with justice, Mr.. Bancroft
sums up his reflections on the work of
popular tribunals in the West with the
Judgment that the principle has BECOME
recognized on the Pacific coas, that when
a community fails to secure the enforce
ment of its laws by the courts, then.
In legal fashion, but with a thorouybuess
and speed which no court ever attains.
It may take upon itself the execution of
the law. OF the first organized body
which established this principle, he SAYS
III Is to the San Francisco vigilance com
mittee of 1856, as distinguished from spy
other popular uprising in California or
elsewhere, that the principle of vigilance
owes its incarnation and recognition; for
IT is recognized principle on these Pa
cific shores, if nowhere else; it ia here A
common law Of the land. Its existence
A. principle is due to that occasion.
though its origin was elsewhere. because
the leaders OF that movement first raised
It to and recognized it as a principle.
Law breakers and law externinators there
have been many, but never before in the
history Of human progress have We seen.
under popular form of government. a
city-iull rise as one man, summoned by
almighty conscience, attend at the bed
side OF sick Law ~ having a right there.
ana perform speedy and almost blood
less cure, despite the struggles of the ex-
Hspcrnted naf,ent.